oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第88章

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and　retired。　

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Oliver　Twist　424　

Chapter　40　

A　Strange　Interview；　Which　Is　A　Sequel　To　The
Last　Chapter。


The　girl’s　life　had　been　squandered　in　the　streets；　and　
among　the　most　noisome　of　the　stews　and　dens　of　London；　
but　there　was　something　of　the　woman’s　original　nature　
left　in　her　still；　and　when　she　heard　a　light　step　approaching　the　
door　opposite　to　that　by　which　she　had　entered；　and　thought　of　the　
wide　contrast　which　the　small　room　would　in　another　moment　
contain；　she　felt　burdened　with　the　sense　of　her　own　deep　shame；　
and　shrank　as　though　she　could　scarcely　bear　the　presence　of　her　
with　whom　she　had　sought　this　interview。　

But　struggling　with　these　better　feelings　was　pride—the　vice　of　
the　lowest　and　most　debased　creatures　no　less　than　of　the　high　
and　self…assured。　The　miserable　companion　of　thieves　and　
ruffians；　the　fallen　outcast　of　low　haunts；　the　associate　of　the　
scourings　of　the　jails　and　hulks；　living　within　the　shadow　of　the　
gallows　itself—even　this　degraded　being　felt　too　proud　to　betray　a　
feeble　gleam　of　the　womanly　feeling　which　she　thought　a　
weakness；　but　which　alone　connected　her　with　that　humanity；　of　
which　her　wasting　life　had　obliterated　so　many；　many　traces　when　
a　very　child。　

She　raised　her　eyes　sufficiently　to　observe　that　the　figure　which　
presented　itself　was　that　of　a　slight　and　beautiful　girl；　then；　
bending　them　on　the　ground；　she　tossed　her　head　with　affected　
carelessness　as　she　said：　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


Oliver　Twist　425　

“It’s　a　hard　matter　to　get　to　see　you；　lady。　If　I　had　taken　offence；　
and　gone　away；　as　many　would　have　done；　you’d　have　been　sorry　
for　it　one　day；　and　not　without　reason　either。”　

“I　am　very　sorry　if　any　one　has　behaved　harshly　to　you；”　replied　
Rose。　“Do　not　think　of　that。　Tell　me　why　you　wished　to　see　me。　I　
am　the　person　you　inquired　for。”　

The　kind　tone　of　this　answer；　the　sweet　voice；　the　gentle　
manner；　the　absence　of　any　accent　of　haughtiness　or　displeasure；　
took　the　girl　completely　by　surprise；　and　she　burst　into　tears。　

“Oh；　lady；　lady！”　she　said；　clasping　her　hands　passionately　
before　her　face；　“if　there　was　more　like　you；　there　would　be　fewer　
like　me—there　would—there　would！”　

“Sit　down；”　said　Rose　earnestly。　“If　you　are　in　poverty　or　
affliction　I　shall　be　truly　glad　to　relieve　you　if　I　can—I　shall　indeed。　
Sit　down。”　

“Let　me　stand；　lady；”　said　the　girl；　still　weeping；　“and　do　not　
speak　to　me　so　kindly　till　you　know　me　better。　It　is　growing　late。　
Is—is—that　door　shut？”　

“Yes；”　said　Rose；　recoiling　a　few　steps；　as　if　to　be　nearer　
assistance　in　case　she　should　require　it。　“Why？”　

“Because；”　said　the　girl；　“I　am　about　to　put　my　life；　and　the　
lives　of　others　in　your　hands。　I　am　the　girl　that　dragged　little　Oliver　
back　to　old　Fagin’s　on　the　night　he　went　out　from　the　house　in　
Pentonville。”　

“You！”　said　Rose　Maylie。　

“I；　lady！”　replied　the　girl。　“I　am　the　infamous　creature　you　have　
heard　of；　that　lives　among　the　thieves；　and　that　never；　from　the　
first　moment　I　can　recollect；　my　eyes　and　senses　opening　on　
London　streets；　have　known　any　better　life；　or　kinder　words　than　

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Oliver　Twist　426　

they　have　given　me；　so　help　me　God！　Do　not　mind　shrinking　
openly　from　me；　lady。　I　am　younger　than　you　would　think；　to　look　
at　me；　but　I　am　well　used　to　it。　The　poorest　women　fall　back；　as　I　
make　my　way　along　the　crowded　pavement。”　

“What　dreadful　things　are　these！”　said　Rose；　involuntarily　
falling　from　her　strange　companion。　

“Thank　Heaven　upon　your　knees；　dear　lady；”　cried　the　girl；　
“that　you　had　friends　to　care　for　and　keep　you　in　your　childhood；　
and　that　you　were　never　in　the　midst　of　cold　and　hunger；　and　riot　
and　drunkenness；　and—and—　something　worse　than　all—as　I　
have　been　from　my　cradle。　I　may　use　the　word；　for　the　alley　and　
the　gutter　were　mine；　as　they　will　be　my　death…bed。”　

“I　pity　you！”　said　Rose；　in　a　broken　voice。　“It　wrings　my　heart　to　
hear　you！”　

“Heaven　bless　you　for　your　goodness！”　rejoined　the　girl。　“If　you　
knew　what　I　am　sometimes；　you　would　pity　me　indeed。　But　I　have　
stolen　away　from　those　who　would　surely　murder　me；　if　they　knew　
I　had　been　here；　to　tell　you　what　I　have　overheard。　Do　you　know　a　
man　named　Monks？”　

“No；”　said　Rose。　

“He　knows　you；”　replied　the　girl；　“and　knew　you　were　here；　for　
it　was　by　hearing　him　tell　the　place　that　I　found　you　out。”　

“I　never　heard　the　name；”　said　Rose。　

“Then　he　goes　by　some　other　amongst　you；”　rejoined　the　girl；　
“which　I　more　than　thought　before。　Some　time　ago；　and　soon　after　
Oliver　was　put　into　your　house　on　the　night　of　the　robbery；　I—　
suspecting　this　man—listened　to　a　conversation　held　between　him　
and　Fagin　in　the　dark。　I　found　out；　from　what　I　heard；　that　
Monks—the　man　I　asked　you　about；　you　know—”　

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Oliver　Twist　427　

“Yes；”　said　Rose；　“I　understand。”　

“That　Monks；”　pursued　the　girl；　“had　seen　him　accidentally　
with　two　of　our　boys　on　the　day　we　first　lost　him；　and　had　known　
him　directly　to　be　the　same　child　that　he　was　watching　for；　though　
I　couldn’t　make　out　why。　A　bargain　was　struck　with　Fagin；　that　if　
Oliver　was　got　back　he　should　have　a　certain　sum；　and　he　was　to　
have　more　for　making　him　a　thief；　which　this　Monks　wanted　for　
some　purpose　of　his　own。”　

“For　what　purpose？”　asked　Rose。　

“He　caught　sight　of　my　shadow　on　the　wall　as　I　listened；　in　the　
hope　of　finding　out；”　said　the　girl；　“and　there　are　not　many　people　
besides　me　that　could　have　got　out　of　their　way　in　time　to　escape　
discovery。　But　I　did；　and　I　saw　him　no　more　till　last　night。”　

“And　what　occurred　then？”　

“I’ll　tell　you；　lady。　Last　night　he　came　again。　Again　they　went　
upstairs；　and　I；　wrapping　myself　up　so　that　my　shadow　should　not　
betray　me；　again　listened　at　the　door。　The　first　words　I　heard　
Monks　say　were　these：　‘So　the　only　proofs　of　the　boy’s　identity　lie　
at　the　bottom　of　the　river；　and　the　old　hag　that　received　them　from　
the　mother　is　rotting　in　her　coffin。’　They　laughed；　and　talked　of　his　
success　in　doing　this；　and　Monks；　talking　on　about　the　boy；　and　
getting　very　wild；　said　that　though　he　had　got　the　young　devil’s　
money　safely　now；　he’d　rather　have　had　it　the　other　way；　for；　what　
a　game　it　would　have　been　to　have　brought　down　the　boast　of　the　
father’s　will；　by　driving　him　through　every　jail　in　town　and　then　
hauling　him　up　for　some　felony　which　Fagin　could　easily　manage；　
after　having　made　a　good　profit　of　him　besides。”　

“What　is　all　this？”　said　Rose。　

“The　truth；　lady；　though　it　comes　from　my　lips；”　replied　the　girl。　

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“Then　he　said；　with　oaths　common　enough　in　my　ears；　but　strange　
to　yours；　that　if　he　could　gratify　his　hatred　by　taking　the　boy’s　life　
without　bringing　his　own　neck　in　danger；　he　would；　but；　as　he　
couldn’t；　he’d　be　upon　the　watch　to　meet　him　at　every　turn　in　life；　
and　if　he　took　advantage　of　his　birth　and　history；　he　might　harm　
him　yet。　‘In　short；　Fagin；’　he　says；　‘Jew　as　you　are；　you　never　laid　
such　snares　as　I’ll　contrive　for　my　young　brother；　Oliver。’”　

“His　brother！”　exclaimed　Rose。　

“Those　were　his　words；”　said　Nancy；　glancing　uneasily　round；　
as　she　had　scarcely　ceased　to　do；　since　she　began　to　speak；　for　a　
vision　of　Sikes　haunted　her　perpetually。　“And　more。　When　he　
spoke　of　you　and　the　other　lady；　and　said　it　seemed　contrived　by　
Heaven；　or　the　devil　against　him；　that　Oliver　should　come　into　
your　hands；　he　laughed；　and　said　there　was　some　comfort　in　that；　
too；　for　how　many　thousand　and　hundreds　of　thousands　of　pounds　
would　you　not　give；　if　you　had　them；　to　know　who　your　two…legged　
spaniel　was。”　

“You　do　not　mean；”　said　Rose；　turning　very　pale；　“to　tell　me　
that　this　was　said　in　earnest？”　

“He　spoke　in　hard　and　angry　earnest；　if　a　man　ever　did；”　
replied　the　girl；　shaking　her　head。　“He　is　an　earnest　man　when　his　
hat